We were lucky to catch up with Nia Renee recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nia Renee, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.

How To love A Battered Woman started as a blog idea while I was in the middle of a narcissistically abusive relationship. I wanted to blog about me writing a book on how to love someone who has endured trauma in their life. I have survived sexual assault, domestic violence, childhood trauma and chronic illnesses. My whole entire goal was to help others feel less alone, my only goal was to help just one person feel less alone. I wanted to document my process of writing a book title, How To Love A Battered Woman. However, it resulted in a blog and the start of a small online community that blossomed into a full scale business. It took me 4.5 years to get me where I am now. And I did not write the book that started this journey for me. I started a website/blog, www.howtoloveabatteredwoman.com, and then quickly grew on social media in the last year and a half. I have amassed a community of over 300k incredible battered hearts between Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, YouTube, and WordPress.

This last year of HTLABW has been incredibly difficult but also incredibly amazing at the same time. I spent half of the year in and out of the hospital due to my brain condition and I had to have 3 brain surgeries. I suffered a lot of set backs and I have experienced a lot of growth simultaneously. I didn’t want to commit to Relationship Coaching until I was in a position to give it my all, so I recently launched my coaching business after I received my coaching certificate in January. I am also a certified motivational speaker as of February 20th.

Running a business is difficult. Incredibly difficult. Running a business that requires your vulnerability to be on display 24/7, but it is literally worth it. It is so worth it.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I avoided being on TikTok for as long as I possibly could LOL. It just was something that I tried to stray away from it but it has opened a lot of doors from me. Technically speaking I am a social media influencer with 218k followers on Tiktok, 22k on Instagram, and 52k on Facebook. I am also a model, and due to my medical issues last year, it slowed me down for getting back into it, but I am a model as well. I also used to be in my acting bag as well LOL. Multitalented :).

I have my Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice, so victim and survivor advocacy is something that I am no stranger too. I got my degree in CJ because I wanted to help people, I just didn’t imagine it being in the way that I am now. I am also in the process of getting my Master Degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resources.

I have always been a creative, I used to write a lot of poetry and creative writing and I am now creating visual art as well. 90% of my content is me creating skits that give examples of abusive relationships, however I am writing a book and short films based on poems I have written in my past.

WIth victims advocacy I really wanted to branch out and help more people, so I am now a certified relationship coach and I offer 1 on 1 coaching. I also have released a brand new Intentional Dating workbook that helps those who are ready to start dating after abuse and how to do it with a purpose. I offer journals and workbooks; I am most proud of my custom how to love me journal that creates a space for a survivor to open up about their past trauma in a safe and constructive way. It allows you to get to know yourself and your needs while being able to express it to your partner or future partner. It has been selling off the shelves and it is so incredible to see others using this journal and seeing that it helps them.

How To Love A Battered Woman, LLC., means the absolute world to me and I cannot wait to continue growing as a brand.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I want to help people. My goal is to help as many people as possible.

My biggest mission and my goal is to help teach others about self advocacy. I want to teach others how to fight for themselves in health and relationships. It does not come easy, especially in fighting for your health in the medical world. Having to fight for yourself while fighting chronic illnesses is not an easy thing to do. Fighting for yourself in relationships can be difficult if you were not provided the tools that are needed to see the red flags and deal breakers in a relationship. I want to give others the tools and guidance to be able to do so in their lives that may not have had those tools. k

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

My life took a complete 180 degree turn when I had to have brain surgery in 2019. It completely changed my outlook in life and what it is that I am truly wanting out of life. I thought that 2019 would be the beginning of the end of my health woes but it only grew increasingly more complicated. I ended up having 3 more brain surgeries in 2022 and that absolutely put the world at a different view for me. I wanted to fight harder for myself and my life and the other survivors around me. Living with as many chronic illnesses that I have, it makes life a bit harder for me. And that is what drives me working so hard to be my own boss because it allows me the opportunity to work for myself and at the pace that I need.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.howtoloveabatteredwoman.com
• Instagram: @howtoloveabatteredwoman
• Facebook: facebook.com/howtoloveabatteredwoman
• Twitter: @HTLABW
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/c/howtoloveabatteredwoman
• Other: https://drum.io/howtoloveabatteredwoman

Image Credits
Greg Gutbezahl @gmg.fashion.and.faces Ron Cooper @roncooperphotography